Pocket handle screwless design

Abstract

A household appliance includes a cabinet, a door, and a handle. The cabinet includes a plurality of panels and defines an internal chamber therein. The door includes a front panel and an interior panel, the front panel and the interior panel defining a door cavity between the front panel and the interior panel. The front panel may include a handle cavity edge. The front panel can define a handle cavity at the handle cavity edge. The handle cavity edge may include a plurality of flanges angled into the door cavity. The handle may be disposed in the handle cavity and may include an outer surface and an inner surface. The handle further may include a plurality of snaps located on a periphery of the inner surface. The snaps may be lodged against corresponding flanges and may attach the handle to the front panel of the door.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A household appliance with a vertical, transverse, and lateral direction defined in relation to a door, each direction orthogonal to one another, the household appliance comprising:
 a cabinet comprising a plurality of panels, the cabinet defining an internal chamber therein; 
 a door mounted on the cabinet to selectively restrict access to the internal chamber in a closed position, the door extending along the vertical direction in the closed position between a top lip and a bottom lip, the door comprising a front panel and an interior panel, the front panel and the interior panel defining a door cavity between the front panel and the interior panel, the front panel comprising a handle cavity edge, the front panel defining a handle cavity at the handle cavity edge, and the handle cavity edge comprising a plurality of flanges angled into the door cavity; and 
 a handle disposed in the handle cavity, the handle comprising an outer surface and an inner surface, the handle defining a recess extending into the door cavity between the front panel and the interior panel, the handle further comprising a plurality of snaps located on a periphery of the inner surface, one or more snaps of the plurality of snaps being lodged against one or more corresponding flanges of the plurality of flanges to attach the handle to the front panel of the door, 
 wherein the handle further comprises a plurality of notches, each snap of the plurality of snaps being adjacent to at least one notch of the plurality of notches to permit flex of each snap of the plurality of snaps. 
 
     
     
       2. The household appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the handle further comprises a front lip, the front lip extending beyond the handle cavity edge and onto the front panel, and wherein the front lip is proud of the front panel. 
     
     
       3. The household appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the inner surface comprises a front edge located along the handle cavity edge, the front edge extending beyond the handle cavity edge, the handle defining a U-shaped cavity between the front lip and the front edge. 
     
     
       4. The household appliance of  claim 3 , wherein the front edge is at least partially defined by a plurality of ribs, each rib being spaced apart along the handle cavity edge. 
     
     
       5. The household appliance of  claim 4 , wherein each rib has a rib edge extending roughly orthogonal to the front panel, and wherein the rib edge of each rib and the front lip further seat a portion of the handle cavity edge in the U-shaped cavity. 
     
     
       6. The household appliance of  claim 5 , wherein each rib further comprises a lead in taper and a back edge, the lead in taper of each rib connecting the front edge to the back edge of a respective rib and extending toward the internal chamber. 
     
     
       7. The household appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the door further comprises a front surface, the handle further defining the recess in the transverse direction into the door toward the internal chamber and in the vertical direction, the recess extending behind the front surface of the door, into the door cavity and beyond the handle cavity. 
     
     
       8. The household appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more snaps of the plurality of snaps comprise a dual wedge, the dual wedge extending roughly orthogonal to the front lip along the inner surface of the handle. 
     
     
       9. The household appliance of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more snaps of the plurality of snaps further comprises a support bar perpendicular to the dual wedge. 
     
     
       10. The household appliance of  claim 1 , wherein one or more flanges of the plurality of flanges are angled at an acute angle with respect to the vertical direction. 
     
     
       11. A household appliance, the household appliance comprising:
 a cabinet comprising a plurality of panels, the cabinet defining an internal chamber; 
 a door mounted on the cabinet to selectively restrict access to the internal chamber in a closed position, the door comprising a front panel and an interior panel, a door cavity defined between the front panel and the interior panel, the front panel comprising a handle cavity edge, the front panel defining a handle cavity at the handle cavity edge and the handle cavity edge comprising a plurality of flanges angled into the door cavity; and 
 a handle attached to the door in the handle cavity, the handle comprising an outer surface and an inner surface, the handle defining a recess at the handle cavity that extends into the door cavity between the front panel and the interior panel, the handle further comprising a plurality of snaps located on a periphery of the inner surface, one or more snaps of the plurality of snaps being lodged against one or more corresponding flanges of the plurality of flanges to attach the handle to the front panel of the door, 
 wherein the handle further comprises a front lip, the front lip extending beyond the handle cavity edge and onto the front panel, and 
 wherein the handle further comprises a plurality of notches, each snap of the plurality of snaps being adjacent to at least one notch of the plurality of notches to permit flex of each snap of the plurality of snaps. 
 
     
     
       12. The household appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the front lip is proud of the front panel and wherein the inner surface comprises a front edge located along the handle cavity edge and extends beyond the handle cavity edge, the handle defining a U-shaped cavity between the front lip and the front edge, the handle cavity edge secured in the U-shaped cavity. 
     
     
       13. The household appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the inner surface comprises a front edge located along the handle cavity edge and extends beyond the handle cavity edge, the handle defining a U-shaped cavity between the front lip and the front edge. 
     
     
       14. The household appliance of  claim 13 , wherein the front edge is at least partially defined by a plurality of ribs, each rib being spaced apart along the handle cavity edge. 
     
     
       15. The household appliance of  claim 11 , wherein one or more snaps of the plurality of snaps comprise a dual wedge, the dual wedge extending roughly orthogonal to the front lip along the inner surface of the handle. 
     
     
       16. The household appliance of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more snaps of the plurality of snaps further comprises a support bar perpendicular to the dual wedge and wherein one or more flanges of the plurality of flanges are angled at an acute angle with respect to a vertical direction. 
     
     
       17. A household appliance with a vertical, transverse, and lateral direction defined in relation to a door, each direction orthogonal to one another, the household appliance comprising:
 a cabinet comprising a plurality of panels, the cabinet defining an internal chamber therein; 
 a door mounted on the cabinet to selectively restrict access to the internal chamber in a closed position, the door extending along the vertical direction in the closed position between a top lip and a bottom lip, the door comprising a front panel and an interior panel, the front panel and the interior panel defining a door cavity between the front panel and the interior panel, the front panel comprising a handle cavity edge, the front panel defining a handle cavity at the handle cavity edge, and the handle cavity edge comprising a plurality of flanges angled into the door cavity; and 
 a handle disposed in the handle cavity, the handle comprising an outer surface and an inner surface, the handle defining a recess extending into the door cavity between the front panel and the interior panel, the handle further comprising a plurality of snaps located on a periphery of the inner surface, one or more snaps of the plurality of snaps being lodged against one or more corresponding flanges of the plurality of flanges to attach the handle to the front panel of the door, 
 wherein the handle further comprises a front lip, the front lip extending beyond the handle cavity edge and onto the front panel, and wherein the front lip is proud of the front panel, and 
 wherein the one or more snaps of the plurality of snaps comprise a dual wedge, the dual wedge extending roughly orthogonal to the front lip along the inner surface of the handle. 
 
     
     
       18. The household appliance of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more snaps of the plurality of snaps further comprises a support bar perpendicular to the dual wedge. 
     
     
       19. The household appliance of  claim 17 , wherein one or more flanges of the plurality of flanges are angled at an acute angle with respect to the vertical direction. 
     
     
       20. The household appliance of  claim 17 , wherein the door further comprises a front surface, the handle further defining the recess in the transverse direction into the door toward the internal chamber and in the vertical direction, the recess extending behind the front surface of the door, into the door cavity and beyond the handle cavity.